The present invention relates to a front section in a motor vehicle, preferably a passenger automobile, with a front structure arranged therein for impact absorption, and including a subframe removably attached from the underside of the front section, there being attached to said subframe a drive unit and/or at least one chassis member mounted in the front section.
In vehicles equipped with frames which can be mounted from the underside, rational installation and removal of the respective vehicle drive unit from below is generally enabled. Such a frame, which can be designated "subframe", also enables good sound insulation between the drive unit and the vehicle body. To obtain said advantages, the subframe is usually attached to supporting portions of the front structure by means of simple bolted connections. The bolt strength then decides the possible force transfer between subframe and supporting portions of the front structure. In an accident, e.g. a head-on collision or a similar circumstance in which the front section of a vehicle is subjected to extreme forces, the subframe can only participate in force absorbing work as long as the bolted joints are intact. This means that supporting portions in the front structure must be dimensioned for absorbing forces without the participation of the subframe.